OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Oswego Women’s Lacrosse team lost their third straight game on Saturday, falling to the Brockport Golden Eagles 22-9. This loss drops the Lakers to 3-3 on the season and 2-2 in SUNYAC play. However, Oswego remains in 3rd place in the West division, ahead of SUNY Fredonia (1-4) and Buffalo State (0-5). With four conference games left before the end of the regular season, the Lakers are still in the hunt for a SUNYAC Championship spot.
The Lakers were competitive early on, leading the Golden Eagles 2-1 after quick goals from Logan Castiglione and Kamryn Sherman. But that would be the only lead Oswego would have all game as Brockport went on a 7-goal run midway through the first half and never looked back. The Golden Eagles out-shot the Lakers 36 to 22, with 26 shots being on goal. What really hurt the Lakers chances in the Saturday’s matchup were their defensive clears. Oswego had only 6 successful clears and continued to give Brockport second chance shots on goal. Seven Lakers scored in the matchup, including Isabella Lembo (2), Kamryn Sherman (2), Sela Wiley (1), and Shae McConnell (1). Logan Castiglione also added 1 goal and 2 assists. As for Brockport, they were lead by leading scorer, Heather Conklin, who totaled 6 goals and 2 assists. After starting the season 3-0, Oswego will now enter Monday’s game versus Buffalo State looking to end a 3-game losing streak. The Lakers previously defeated the Bengals 14-6 on April 10th. The women’s lacrosse team will need a win to stay alive in the playoff race. The opening face off is set for 4:00 PM at Laker Turf Stadium. WTOP 10 will be at the field broadcasting all the action.
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Lakers Sweep Hawks To Kick Off SUNYAC Play
OSWEGO, N.Y. – The Oswego State Lakers brought out the brooms on Friday, as they swept the New Paltz Hawks in a quick three sets.
The Lakers made their presence felt early on with a commanding win in the opening set. The team quickly took a 12-6 lead, spearheaded by strong individual showings from Gigi Basile and Priscilla McReynolds that mobilized the attack. The Hawks urgently tried to make a comeback, but the attempt was ultimately futile as the Lakers received significant assistance on the defensive end from CJ Eidem, who racked up seven digs to help her home-squad secure an authoritative 25-17 victory, and a 1-0 lead.
The Lakers found a crease in-between a more balanced second set, and were able to come away with a tight 25-19 victory. The momentum alternated between both squads at a rapid rate, but a well-structured offensive gameplan from the Lakers, headed by Kalley Vugveteen and Mya Bush, allowed them to get into a synchronized groove. Moreover, Eidem continued to be a neutralizer on the defensive end with four digs, while McReynolds also aided in that department, displaying her effective two-way skills.
The Lakers lost not a step in the final set, as Jon Stenman coached his group to a game-clinching 25-17 win in the final set. The offense fronted a calculated showing to push the Lakers out to an early 11-1 lead, and they never looked back from there. It was Grace Gdovin who continued to make an impact in all facets of the game, with a team-high four kills, while the Hawks continued to commit unfortunate errors – a factor that would be their main shortcoming. McReynolds rounded out the offense, while Bush continued to operate as an immense beneficiary for the Lakers, with five assists in the set, for a mark of 20 on the day.
The Lakers stay home for tomorrow’s outing, as they face off against SUNYAC foe Oneonta at 1 p.m.
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Women’s Lacrosse Hands Pioneers First Loss of the Season
UTICA, NY – The Lakers extended their win streak to two this afternoon after a tightly contested road matchup against the Pioneers. Isabella Lembo and Sela Wiley continued their scoring streaks from their previous matchup against SUNY Canton. Wiley now has seven goals in the last two games, with Lembo having six.
The offense showed up to play in the first quarter for both teams, with Lembo recording her first goal of the afternoon less than four minutes into play. The Pioneers quickly responded to the Lakers with a goal of their own less than a minute later, tying the game at one. Sela Wiley was able to give the Lakers the lead just minutes later, scoring her first goal of the afternoon. Utica simply refused to back down from the Lakers, tying the game yet again with another goal shortly after Wiley’s goal. Lembo would give the Lakers a one point lead going into the second quarter with a goal coming in with 5:58 remaining in the first. Scoring slowed down in the second quarter, with Oswego netting two more goals, while surrendering one goal to Utica. One goal came from Lembo, the other came from from Wiley, with just 20 seconds remaining in the half. The Lakers held a five to three lead going into the second half.
The Pioneers outscored the Lakers in the second half, but it wasn’t enough for them to come back and tie the game, despite the Lakers scoreless third quarter. Shae McConnell put the Pioneers on ice with the only goal scored by Oswego in the half, coming in with 13:18 remaining in the fourth. Oswego held off a fourth quarter rally by the Pioneers to take home the six to five victory over Utica. Defense was the story of the game, with the Laker defense forcing 25 turnovers by the Pioneers, while only allowing 16 shots off against goalkeeper Sarah Kamide. Kamide was a difference maker in the net, recording seven saves in the contest, and getting the win in goal.
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Softball loses five over hard weekend matchups
OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Oswego State softball team played six games over four days this weekend. A Friday double header in New Paltz against the Hawks was followed by a Saturday double header in Oneonta with the Red Dragons, the team had a day off Sunday, but played another double header at home against the Plattsburgh Cardinals Monday.
Friday’s first game in New Paltz saw the Hawks grab an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Two two-out singles were followed by a triple, bringing that brought both runners home to open the scoring. In the bottom of the second the Hawks would strike again. A two-out double was followed by a single. A throwing error would bring home the lead runner, and another triple would bring home the other runner. No more runs would be scored until the seventh inning, where the Lakers finally found the score sheet. Two one-out singles were followed by Madison Hoeflich reaching on an error, that would score the first runner of the inning for the Lakers. Ellie Mahoney then grounded out the the Shortstop, but would bring home another run. A Samantha Morgan double brought home the third run of the inning for the Lakers, but the scoring would end there, and Oswego fell 4-3. The Lakers only had four hits on the day, no batter having more than one, and a lone walk. Freshman Maria Lutz pitched all six innings for Oswego, allowing four runs, nine hits, two walks, and striking out two.
Game two of the double header was a more convincing win for New Paltz. The Hawks scored one in the first, but Oswego would match the run the second on a Ellie Mahoney single. Errors in the bottom half of the second brought home two more runs, and a two out double in the third brought home run number four for the Hawks. The bottom of the fourth was started by a single for New Paltz which was followed by a double driving home the run. Oswego got two consecutive pop-outs after, but a single drove home the sixth run. Oswego held New Paltz scoreless in the fifth, but three runs in the sixth triggered the mercy rule, and the game ended 9-1 in favor of the Hawks. Zoe Mennig led the Lakers with two hits, and Madison Hoeflich led the Lakers with two walks. Fiona Higgins had a rough day on the mound. She allowed fifteen hits, nine runs, eight earned, and walked three, she would strike out six.
The Lakers took the two hour trip to Oneonta for the Saturday double header. The Lakers found the scoreboard in the top of the first in game one. Tai Smith led off with a walk, and she was moved to second by a sac bunt. Taylor Dubois hit a double moving Smith to third, and a fielder’s choice in the next at bat scored the run. The Lakers held the Red Dragons scoreless until the third inning, when a lead off triple would be driven in by a sac fly to tie the game. Oneonta scored once more in the fourth inning, and twice more in the fifth. In the sixth, a two out single, then stole second and was driven in by a double. Oswego wouldn’t score in the seventh, and the game ended 5-1 Oneonta. Taylor Dubois led Oswego with two hits. Tai Smith got on base three times, a hit and a team leading two walks. Maria Lutz pitched all six innings once again, allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits and no walks, striking out two.
Game two of the second double header saw Oneonta grab a big lead in the bottom of the first, scoring four. The next run wouldn’t be scored until the top of the third, when Taylor Dubois hit a lead off double and was then drive in by Zoe Mennig’s double in the next at bat. A scoreless fourth was followed by a scoreless top of the fifth, and the Red Dragons broke the scoreless streak in the bottom of the fifth, crossing the plate once. Oneonta grabbed two more in the bottom of the sixth, and the Lakers, trying to rally could only manage one in the top of the seventh, a Zoe Mennig solo shot to left, and the Red Dragons took game two, 7-2. Samantha Morgan led the Lakers, going three for three at the plate. Zoe Mennig drove in both runs for Oswego. Madison Hoeflich got the start for the Lakers, but only pitched one inning, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits, striking out two. Chelsea Sellars pitched the remaining five innings for Oswego, allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits, and four strike outs.
The Lakers took a much needed day off Sunday, and took to the diamond for two more Monday to take on the Cardinals of Plattsburgh. The Cardinals went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, and the Lakers struck first in the bottom half. The first two batters would get out, then Taylor Dubois and Zoe Mennig would reach on errors. Fiona Higgins drove in both with a double. The second inning was scoreless, and Plattsburgh grabbed their first run in the top of the third on an error. Two more scoreless innings brought the game to the sixth, where the Cardinals struck again. The Lakers committed two errors to start the inning, allowing two runners on base. A single by the next batter loaded the bases, and another single drove in the first run of the inning, second of the game for the Cardinals. A pop out to second got out number one of the inning, and a fly out to center got the second out, but also drove in the runner from third, for the third run of the game and the lead for Plattsburgh. Another single drove in the fourth run, and the walk that followed reloaded the bases. Another single brought home two more, and Plattsburgh got out of the inning with a 6-2 lead. Oswego wouldn’t score after the first, and lost the game. Fiona Higgins led Oswego with two hits and two RBIs. Maria Lutz pitched all seven innings, doing the whole game for the third time over the weekend. She allowed six runs, two earned, do to three errors on the Lakers. Lutz struck out four and walked three during the game
The Lakers finally turned things around in game two of the double header, and the final one of the weekend. The Lakers scored three times in the bottom of the first on hits by Zoe Mennig and Fiona Higgins. Neither team would score until Oswego did in the bottom of the fifth. Fiona Higgins drove in the fourth run for Oswego on a double, and in the next at bat, Madison Hoeflich brought in one more on a single. The Lakers scored two more in the inning on a single and a sacrifice hit, bringing their total to seven in the game. Zoe Mennig brought in one more run in the bottom of the sixth, triggering the mercy rule. Zoe Mennig went 4-4 at the plate, driving in two runs, and scoring two of her own. Fiona Higgins was the star of the day though. She went 2-3 at the plate driving in three runs, and pitched six scoreless innings, striking out six, while only allowing two hits and two walks.
The Lakers get the next three days off, until the play a double header Friday against the Brockport golden eagles at home, game one set to start at 3:00 P.M. They play their final series of the season against Geneseo at home Saturday with a double header. The lakers now sit a 9-22 (4-10 SUNYAC). They are currently eighth in the SUNYAC, two games back of Fredonia in the six seed, the final spot in the SUNYAC playoffs.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OSWEGO ATHLETICS
